Instead of partner ( I disliked it also, too business like) I used "spouse" or "spousal equivalent " . To be fair I used spousal equivalent for anybody who was living together "w/out benefit of clergy".

The French term for living together w/out clergy esp if there are children ( I LOVE this) is concubinage.

This^. And in recent years, I've taken it to mean, we're serious, committed, but not married - for whatever reason.

And, btw, Gay was often used as a name. My given middle name, actually. And ive certainly know a few women with it as a first name.

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

I have shared my life with one man since 1967 (here's the math: 52 years, more than half a century). We have used a variety of terms to describe our relationship: Shipmate; Friend; Best Friend; Boy Friend; Buddy; Room Mate; House Mate; Life Mate; Partner; Life Partner; Domestic Partner; Significant Other; Lover; Spouse; and many others lost in the fog of memory.

But perhaps most important and meaningful, and since Same-Sex Marriage became legal in the progressive State of California in 2008: HUSBAND.

Back in the day we used the word "lover". Over the years partner just became the word we used.

I never identified myself as "queer", even back in the late 70's and 80's.None of my friends did. A lot of things associated with the word did not describe us. The words we used to identify ourselves and others were "family" or "gay". Mostly family.